Friday, 10 May 2013

The rumors were true ... Jermaine Dupri DID wear his pants backwards to Chris Kelly's funeral today as a tribute to the Kris Kross rapper, and TMZ has the pic below..

Chris Kelly's Kris Kross rap partner, Chris Smith, was among the assortment of well-known musicians, family and friends who gathered on Thursday for Kelly's funeral in Atlanta, Georgia.

Smith walked into Jackson Baptist Memorial Church alongside rapper Jermaine Dupri, who discovered the the 1990s teen duo at an Atlanta mall.

TMZ reports that during an emotional eulogy, Smith confessed: 'It's been like a struggle for me every day...I know Chris is in heaven.'

VIDEO TO THE BOTTOM OF POST

Laid to rest: Chris Smith openly wept during the funeral of his rap partner, Chris Kelly, in Atlanta on Thursday

Fighting through it: 'It's been like a struggle for me every day...I know Chris is in heaven' Smith remarked of Kelly

He continued of Kelly: 'He was a true friend. I just wanna say I love you, man...and I'm gonna miss you dearly.

'My life...it ain't ever gonna be the same, but I just hope our legacy for hip-hop is never forgotten. I'm gonna do my part to make sure Chris' legacy will live on,' he finished.

The 34-year-old Kelly was found dead on May 1 of a suspected drug overdose, believed to be due to using a combination of cocaine and heroin the night before his death. Here is the alleged 911 call made

An intimate farewell: The Baptist ceremony featured an open casket

Overwhelming turn-out: Mourners including Jermaine Dupri and Da Brat celebrated Kelly's life at the Jackson Baptist Memorial Church

Two members of the band Xscape, sisters LaTocha and Tamika Scott, arrived together for Kelly's funeral.

'He just wanted to smile. That's all he wanted,' Tamika Scott said. 'He was known to be a happy person.'

Rapper Da Brat, who wore her pants backwards in tribute to the fallen rapper, tried to speak to reporters when she arrived but stopped when she got choked up and headed into the church.

Family support: Smith took to the pulpit with his sister, Jennifer Smith, who broke down in tears

Kind words: Smith said of Kelly, 'He was a true friend. I just wanna say I love you, man...I'm gonna miss you'

Fitting tribute: Tamika Scott said of the rapper, 'He just wanted to smile. That's all he wanted'

Kris Kross was introduced to the music world in 1992 by music producer Dupri after he discovered the pair at Greenbriar Mall in southwest Atlanta.

Kelly was known as Mac Daddy and Smith was known as Daddy Mac.

The duo wore their clothes backward as a gimmick, but they soon won over fans with their raps.

'The essence of his life and spirit': Kelly's funeral program read, 'Live and die for hip hop'

Paying respects: Funeral-goers honoured Kelly during the open casket service

Tragedy: Kelly died May 1 of a suspected drug overdose after struggling with addiction

Their first, and by far most successful song, was Jump.

The hit, off their multi-platinum 1992 debut album Totally Krossed Out, featured the two trading verses and rapping the refrain, the song's title.

The duo had surprising maturity in their rap delivery, though the song was written by Dupri.

Saying goodbye: The ceremony ended in an emotional procession

Draped in roses: Kelly's casket was adorned by a collection of expansive floral arrangements

Celebrating his achievements: The ceremony also featured pieces of Kris Kross memorabilia

It would become a No. 1 smash in the United States and globally, and one of the most popular of that year.

Friends and family gathered in Atlanta on Wednesday for the wake of the tragic star.

The public ceremony saw mourners greeted with an acoustic version of Jump upon entering the funeral home.

At the wake Kelly had an open casket and was dressed in a black suit with the pants forward, despite his dedication to the backwards-pant style he forged throughout his teenage and adult life.

According to TMZ, a sign was attached to the casket on the inside of the coffin lid reading 'Cause that's what I was born to do...' - a line from the Kris Kross hit Warm It Up.

Solace: Producer Jermaine Dupri provided comforting words to Chris Smith as they arrived to the service

Sad day: Rapper Da Brat was among the mourners

Consoling: The mother of Chris Kelly, Donna Kelly Pratte, seated second from left, was consoled during the funeral service for her son

The casket was also flanked by photos of Smith and Kelly in their heyday nearly two decades ago.

'He will be very missed, especially within our family,' Lemar Williams, Kelly's uncle, said outside the Murray Brothers Funeral Home. 'To the world he was Kris Kross, but to us he was just Chris.'

Kriss Kross had reunited once more to star at a 20th anniversary all-star concert honouring So So Def Recordings in Atlanta in February.

'Me and him, we have our times when we don’t talk and our times that we do talk,' Kelly told Yahoo Music when asked about his friendship with fellow rapping partner Smith shortly before their reunion.

In honour: Chico DeBarge performed in honour of Chris Kelly's memory during the service

The band played on: A New Orleans style funeral procession passed by

Processing the grief: On Wednesday, friends and family gathered for Kelly's Atlanta wake

'But if it’s any time that I needed him or needed to reach him it was never a problem.'

Kelly had also been broadening his talents, going to back to school to become a musical engineer.

'I just wanted to do something different,' he said. 'Get more on the technical side of things than just being an artist, and produce. I just wanted to be [the] all around best I could be as far as doing everything.'

Spiraling out: Kelly, pictured in 2011 during a performance, battled substance addiction prior to his death

Success from a young age: Kris Kross rappers Chris Kelly and Chris Smith climbed the charts with hit single Jump and were known for wearing their clothes backwards